In Hemingway’s “Hills Like White Elephants” the author uses a transition from barren, white hills to fields of grain and trees to represent the evolution of a girl’s decision whether or not to go forward with an abortion.  In the beginning of the story, the “girl” and the American sit at a train station looking out across the landscape while she decides between getting an abortion and keeping their child. Initially, she sees only long, white hills with no trees, “white elephants” that symbolize her meaningless life.  As her perspective changes, she begins to see the fields of grain and trees across the banks of the Ebro river, symbolic of a life with meaning.  She sees that she could have so much more if she decides to keep the child. The train station represents a crossroads between her two choices.

Some might argue that the “girl” did have an abortion. Several references in the text could lead to that conclusion, including the description of the first hill. This is the quote that started the story, and immediately gives the impression of a lifeless atmosphere.“The hills across the valley of the Ebro were long and white. On this side there was no shade and no trees and the station was between two lines of rails and the sun.” ( 527)   In this case, the hill represents a boring life without a child. The girl can view a large majority of the hills, so she knows what is coming.  In this boring life she can easily predict the future. I argue that this quote from the text is not saying she had the abortion, but rather it is showing how her life would be if she were to make that choice.

At the end of the first paragraph it is clear that the American and the girl are at a train station, symbolizing a crossroad.  If the station comment had been earlier in the text, it would be more plausible to believe that she did follow through with the operation by the story’s end. Because the station is not brought up until the end of the quote, I believe it indicates her continued contemplation about her situation. She remains at the crossroad. 

 The sun in the first description of the hills is another piece of symbolism that could take on several meanings, one being the idea of death.  In this case, the sun would represent the “guiding light,” and could be interpreted to mean that the girl has already followed through with the abortion.  However, the sun can also symbolize an epiphany, insight or clarity.  Because the sun is mentioned later in the sentence, I believe that these interpretations carry more weight than the interpretation of death, and leads me to believe that she is beginning to see more clearly about her decision not to have the abortion.  Light can also represent life and God, further indications that she is deciding to keep the child.  

As the story progresses, the girls focus on the hills seems to switch from the lifeless bare side to the forest side. This corresponds with how her mind set changes throughout the story. “The girl looked across at the hills.  “They’re lovely hills” she said.  “They don’t really look like white elephants.  I just meant the coloring of their skin through the trees” (P. 528) This quote shows how she has chosen to view the hills differently, the hills themselves are not changing, she is just now seeing them differently. By focusing on the more vibrant side it appears she is more positive rather than negative.  Her changing perspective gives off the idea that she is happier and more content. This may show she has decided to keep the child. 

The girl seems to become stronger and more content, and her view of her surroundings continues to evolve along with her opinion about the abortion.  In place of the barren hills, she begins to see fields of grain, trees and mountains. The landscape begins to represent life, and the life the girl could have with the child. “Across, on the other side, were fields of grain and trees along the banks of the Ebro. Far away, beyond the river, were mountains.” (529) The symbolism in this part of the writing is very strong. For instance, often mountains represent obstacles. Having a child can be a huge obstacle. Mountains are also unmoveable, and, similar to a child, they are permanent. In many cases grain represents the desire to be good as well as do good. In relation to this it may represent the idea of doing good by the child by not having the operation and giving it a chance at life. The river and trees mentioned also represent this idea of life as well as beauty. In comparison to the previous quote, this part of the text is filled with different parts of nature and is unpredictable. This may represent life with a child, and life with a child is very unpredictable.  Just like you can’t see through a forest, when one has a child it is never clear what will happen next and it is impossible see into the future.

In the short story “Hills Like White Elephants” a young girl’s decision whether to have an abortion is parallelled by her view of nature and her surroundings.  In the beginning, the girl sees only long white hills with no trees, and sees herself living an empty life with no child.  As she begins to notice the fields of grain and trees, the mountains and the river, she develops an understanding of how things could be if she made a different choice.  I believe her changed perspective based upon the hills symbolizes her decision to keep the child and that in the end, she chooses an unpredictable but more meaningful life. 